J Andres (2025–)
) República marítimo de J Andres ( ) République Maritime du J Andres ( ) |nation_name = Maritime Republic of J Andres |common_name = J Andres |id = |image_flag = J Andres Flag.svg |image_symbol = Coat of Arms of the Third Maritime Republic of J Andres.png |symbol_type = Coat of arms |flaglink = |national_motto = "Pacis" (official) "In God We Trust" (official) |national_anthem = Our land, our home |royal_anthem = |image_map = Map of the Third J Andres.svg |capital = Endor Cuidad |largest_city = |official_languages = None ( ), and ( ) |regional_languages = |demonym = Andrean |government_type = |rulertitle = Monarch |ruler = Josef Mercton |govthead = Richard Mercton |govttitle = President |govtoff = Vacant |offtitle = Speaker of the Commune |govtoff2 = Vacant |offtitle2 = Chief Justice |govtoff3 = Commune |offtitle3 = |national_religion = Christianity |national_animal = |formation_date = December 20, 1980 |formation_event = Secession of Rhode Island |formation_date2 = September 23, 1981 |formation_event2 = Establishment |formation_date3 = October 28, 2016 |formation_event3 = Reestablishment |formation_date4 = May 5, 2025 |formation_event4 = War of National Liberation |area = 71,991.8 sq. mi. (186,458.8 km²) |population = 19,118,540 (2025 estimate) |ethnicity = Mixed (primarily and ) |allies = |currency = J Andres Anchor (Å or JAA) |gdpyear = |gdp = |gdppercapita = |literacy = 100% |time_zone = to |cctld = .ja .gov .mil .edu |drivinglane = Right |portal = }} J Andres, officially known as the Maritime Republic of J Andres ( : Maritieme Republiek van J Andres, : República marítimo de J Andres, : République Maritime du J Andres), is a located in , encompassing much of what had traditionally been considered as the region of in the northeastern corner of the former . It consists of six provinces: the Maritime Colony (formerly ), , , , , and . It is bordered to the north by the Federation of Disparu, to the east by the Northern Republic, to the west by the Commune Protectorate in what had once been , and to the south by the . The capital of J Andres is Endor Cuidad, located on the northwestern fringes of , the capital of the Maritime Colony. Its largest city is . J Andres has a population of approximately 19,118,540, slightly more than its recorded population in 2020, and has an area of 71,991.8 square miles (186,458.8 km²), making it slightly larger than the Tahoan state of . It is an ethnically diverse nation, with varying languages and cultures among its population, the most prominent of them being and . It has no official language, though and , as well as an assortment of languages, are spoken. J Andres’s roots and origins come from the first United States of America. Midst increasing social discontent and upheavals, in part caused by the , J Andres was established when the State of Rhode Island seceded from the United States in around December 1980 and formed at first the Maritime Colony of Rhode Island and then the first Maritime Republic of J Andres, the latter in September 1981. However, under the leadership of Josef Mercton, J Andres was plunged in various wars and conflicts throughout the 1980s that would last well into the 1990s. Most notably were the Initiation War and the Australian Campaign, both of which would become significant to the consolidation of a fledging nation under a strong military leader named Josef Mercton. It faced instability in the form of the Communist Revolt of 1986, when the Communist Party gained control of the J Andres government (of which was then subsequent lost with the election of Ben Richards in 1988). In the 1990s, J Andres fought the Macacan Conflict, where in 1994 and 1995 it defeated the Macacan Republic with the support of its allies and gained the strategic port/colony of Porto Pacis. After yet more wars/battles (namely the Corporate Insurgency and the Battle of Kangaroo Island) in the late 1990s and early 2000s, J Andres finally gained peace. During that time, J Andres expanded to its greatest extent before shrinking in land size (the 2007 cession of Porto Pacis and the Mond District, and the 2010 cession of all lands save for Rhode Island significantly weakened J Andres and probably contributed to its eventual collapse). After the decision by then-President Adrik Annan to cede so much land in 2010, J Andres gradually devolved into anarchy. In April 2011, took power and officially established the . Now a shadow of its former self, the J Andres government watched as New England expanded to its greatest extent (in both land and power) under the leadership of Kennedy and then his successor, . In 2016, Kennedy granted J Andres independence once again and the second Maritime Republic was established under the leadership of Annan (until then, he continued to lead the shadow government) until his death in August of that year. But J Andres, led by Richard Mercton, devolved into anarchy once again in 2020 and was reincorporated into New England once again. It became a part of the when New England merged with the Federal Republic of America in the early 2020s. In response to the war against Tahoe (known as the Unjust War, the War of the Coalition, and even the Half-World War) and the atrocities perpetuated by the notorious Federal Bureau of Internal Bureau (FBIS), Richard Mercton led a military coup in 2025 that effectively deposed the FSA government (and the FSA and New England) and established the third Maritime Republic of J Andres once again. Etymology The origins of the name of J Andres is unknown, though some historians and analysts have theorized that it may have been named after Jose de Andres, head of the corporation JTech, given the similarity of his name to the country’s name (J'''ose de '''Andres). However, no evidence of such exists. (Andres played no role in the secession of in 1980 or the establishment of J Andres the following year, and he only became prominent after 1984 when he became head of JTech.) Geography, climate, and environment The geography of J Andres is defined in the form of rolling hills and jagged mountains that intersperse the country, namely the Appalachian and White Mountains that extends throughout the regions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. , at a peak of 1,917 meters (6,289 feet) is the highest peak in J Andres. Several valleys, such as the and also permeate the region. The region of the Maritime Colony is mostly hilly. Not only do mountains, hills, and valleys dominate the geography of J Andres, but rivers and lakes are prevalent. For instance, the coast extending from Connecticut to Maine is covered with , , and sandy beaches. The , flowing for 407 miles (655 km) from New Hampshire to the Long Beach Sound, is the largest river in J Andres. In turn, , located between Vermont and New York, is J Andres’s largest lake. J Andres, through its protectorate, shares the with the Federation of Disparu. The of J Andres typically varies throughout the region. New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine have a , characterized by warm summers and cold winters; the remainder of the country receives similar climates. J Andres receives an average rainfall of between 40 to 60 inches of water annually, though Vermont and Maine receives less (between 20 and 40 inches of rain). In contrast, snow can reach up to 98 inches per year in winter. The lowest recorded temperature in the history of the region was -50 Fahrenheit in Vermont in late 1933, to be closely followed by Maine in early 2009. are very rare, especially around the capital of Endor Cuidad, but they have been known to occur at times. The and of J Andres is concentrated in what is called the , a of the larger area of the eastern portion of North America. Much of the province’s aquifers are in , , and rocks; some rocks, especially in Vermont, consist of and rocks. Many species of plants are found in many areas of J Andres; several hundred species of , , , and species are also found. The of 1973 - passed by the first United States of America and maintained by the first two J Andres, New England, Federated States of America - protects endangered species and their habitats. It is enforced and monitored by the National Fish and Wildlife Service of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs. There are currently eighteen and other nationally-managed historic sites, the majority of which are located in Massachusetts (a few are located in the Maritime Colony, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine). The list is as below: * - * - Massachusetts * - Massachusetts * - Massachusetts * - Massachusetts * - Massachusetts * - Massachusetts * - Massachusetts * - * - Massachusetts * - Massachusetts * - Massachusetts * - * - * - * - Maritime Colony * - Massachusetts * - Massachusetts Overview J Andres is a small sized, superbly developed, and new nation with citizens primarily of mixed (predominately and ) ethnicity whose religion is . Its technology is first rate and its citizens marvel at the astonishing advancements within their nation. Its citizens pay extremely high taxes and many despise their government as a result. The citizens of J Andres work diligently to produce Iron and Cattle as tradable resources for their nation. It is a mostly neutral country when it comes to foreign affairs. It will usually only attack another nation if attacked first. It believes nuclear weapons are necessary for the security of its people. The military of J Andres has been positioned at all border crossings and is arresting all drug traffickers. J Andres allows its citizens to protest their government but uses a strong police force to monitor things and arrest lawbreakers. It has an open border policy, but in order for immigrants to remain in the country they will have to become citizens first. J Andres believes in the freedom of speech and feels that it is every citizen's right to speak freely about their government. The government gives foreign aid when it can, but looks to take care of its own people first. J Andres will not make deals with another country that has a history of inhuman treatment of its citizens. History Pre-J Andres History The origins of J Andres are rooted in that of the first . Successful efforts at English settlement of America—named after Italian explorer but discovered by —in the early fifteenth century led to expansion and conflicts with other European powers, namely the . After a series of wars, the Dutch were forced to cede their colony of in to the in 1674. In the , raging from 1754 to 1763, was forced to cede its vast land holdings to . Through more expansion, notably the 1729 division of and the colonization of in 1732, the thirteen colonies (of which would later form the core of the first United States of America), was established in place. A series of changes, such as the of the 1730s to the 1760s, led to the growing awareness and support of and as well as —of which would be commemorated in Enlightenment ideals. However, the Seven Years War unleashed a wave of change that would greatly influence the course of American history. The end of the war in 1763 brought not increased benefit to American colonists, but more taxes (the British expected the American colonists to share part of the responsibility of being in the Empire). This in turn aroused resentment against what the colonies termed "taxation without representation" (they had no representation in the at the time). Tensions between the British and their American subjects mounted, inspired in part by several "oppressive" acts, erupted with the in 1775 that started the . Six years of terrible conflict ensued as American patriots fought British redcoats; it culminated in the monumental American at in 1781 that led to the signing of the in 1783 that ended the war and guaranteed American independence. Over the next century or so, the United States underwent fundamental changes and transformation; it expanded (and in turn shrank) in power, influence and land during that time. Beginning with the in 1803, the United States acquired land through agreement, purchases, and war. In the 1810s to the 1830s, the United States persecuted in its quest for more land, resulting in the of the 1830s. In the spirit of , the United States annexed (which had achieved independence from ) and fought basically a against Mexico in 1846-1848 that siphoned off a vast tract of land from that country. But over time, it began to face internal crises in regards to the and the concept of . Beginning in the late 1840s, the Irish nationalist group, Na Fianna - enraged by what it perceived as an encroachment upon their interests by the United States (the annexation of in 1850 didn't help matters, for that fact) - launched an insurrection that was quickly put down. However, they tried again; in 1855, they launched what was basically a war of liberation. This conflict, midst the many sectarian conflicts at the time, lasted for years. During that time, the Tahoe Republic was established as "an act of defiance". At around the same time the Na Fianna crisis was brewing up, another crisis erupted, one regarding slavery. During the chaotic years of the 1850s, both the and constantly clashed with each other not only over the "peculiar institution of slavery" but also their differences (cultures, traditions, way of life). What had begun as " " in the mid-1850s had snowballed into a far greater crisis that would tear the United States apart, literally. After the election of in 1860, several Southern states seceded and formed the . The Confederate of in April 1861 not only plunged the divided nation into a devastating , but also pitted the United States into a bitter war against the Tahoe Republic. At around the same time Union forces were being trounced by Confederate forces at the , Tahoan and American forces clashed once again. Though the Americans were victorious at first—they had captured and burned the city of (the Tahoan capital of Cruachan) after a fierce battle in 1862—they suffered a devastating defeat at Sacramento in December 1863 that all but guaranteed Tahoan independence. By 1865, the United States had managed to retake the Confederacy but at the expense of the western portions of its lands that had by then become the Tahoe Republic. In 1867, midst its Reconstruction, the United States signed a final peace treaty with Tahoe that buried the hatchet between them. Despite the loss of nearly one-fifths of its lands and having suffered a devastating civil war, the United States managed to hold itself together and even to become a great power once again. In the course of the nineteenth century and the twentieth century, it maintained relations with much of the world (including the Confederacy), promoted and defended its interests, went to war (with and ), enjoyed prosperity, and etcetera. Then it became embroiled in the in the 1960s that would place the country on the slippery slope toward collapse. Public discontent and economic problems during that period led to the final breakup of the country beginning in 1980. The First Republic J Andres › History}} featured in a "Bringer of Prosperity" poster.]] On December 20, 1980, on the 120th anniversary of the secession of from the Union, withdrew his state of from the United States in an act that would give birth to the nation as it is today. The first incarnation, the Maritime Colony of Rhode Island, was established and lasted for a brief time. Wracked with instability and conflict, the Maritime Colony was dissolved and replaced, on September 23, 1981, with the first Maritime Republic of J Andres. Under the leadership of a group of unknown citizens from the town of Porto Georgiaville, and then Josef Mercton, J Andres fought the Initiation War. During late 1981, J Andres defeated the nation of Opustopia but lost against Alirouvert. Despite the defeat, J Andres was further consolidated as a nation as it finally organized a functioning government and military under Mercton’s leadership. striking his famous victory pose after the success of the Orlando Offensives.]] The rest of the 1980s was a period of conflict as well as peace for J Andres. After a brief tenure of peace and prosperity (Mercton became known as the "Bringer of Prosperity" for his actions during that time), J Andres was plunged in what was called the October Massacre and the War of the Monkeys. In October 1982, it attacked and decisively defeated a strangely-named nation. It marked a "major step" in J Andres’s history as it's tanks and air force were used for the first time. The war brought Ben Richards to prominence due to his successful performance as military general and his smashing victory in the Orlando Offensives. Just as it was returning to peace again, J Andres was mired in war once again; between October 1982 and February 1983, it fought and then defended itself against a nation named after (hence the name 'War of the Monkeys'). The J Andreans triumphed once again, forcing the Monkeys out of the city of Cranston, the scene of a fierce battle that raged during the time). After yet another brief period of peace and democracy (the J Andrean population during 1983 demanded democracy, which Mercton did not hesitate to give), J Andres came under attack by a nation ironically named after freedom in November 1983, and was thrown into anarchy (it was such to the extent that Mercton himself was nearly assassinated). But still, J Andres rebuilt itself, and in 1984, conducted an election. Mercton won with 55% of the popular vote after a particularly close election. During the Second Great War, J Andres proclaimed neutrality, but was wreaked with not military crisis, but political conflict when the Red Revolt (or the Communist Revolt) broke out in 1986. The Communist Party staged a successful revolt in Endor Cuidad, of which it seized control of the government with the goal of making J Andres a Communist nation by 1987. During the time, the Nationalist and Anchor parties worked together to make Josef Mercton King (he was crowned as king on Christmas Day 1986). , a member of the Communist Party and the second President of J Andres.]] The election of Communist Party member Jack Bosco in 1987 seemed to place the Communist Party in a powerful position—and threatened civil war when Josef Mercton and Ben Richards relocated to and established a "Nationalist-Anchor Coalition Army" in opposition to Bosco’s government. Luckily, civil war was averted when the Communists were booted out of the government following a vote of no confidence in the Commune in 1988. Famed military hero Ben Richards became President and during his tenure, he helped J Andres to become a nuclear power (indeed, J Andres’s first nuclear bomb was built on July 8, 1988, the same day Richards became president). Under Richards, J Andres experienced a period of peace and stability never heard of before, except perhaps before 1981. Due to efforts of Adrik Annan, Foreign Minister at the time, SPEED was accepted as a diplomatic norm. It would serve as a basis for establishment of diplomatic relations as well as construction of foreign embassies in Endor Cuidad. However, peace would desert J Andres once again, with the outbreak of violence in the form of the National Liberation Army and the Macacan Conflict. In the case of the first, an attempt by J Andres to restore peace in the Kingdom of Miami resulted in an assassination attempt against Joel Brunel (he was negotiating for a compromise when the building he was in was struck by a bomb, critically wounding him) as well as a series of terrorist attacks in J Andres that resulted with numerous casualties and arrests. In 1993, an initiative by Richards to establish a colony in Australia brought J Andres to blows with the Macacan Republic. In exactly a year of fighting and supported by allies—and not to mention, assisted by two nuclear weapons—J Andres triumphed and got the lands that it wanted, along with the former Macacan Republic as a "Governorship." In 1998, Alex Miller, Minister of War and Defense under Richards, was elected president. Several years later, in 2004, J Andres went to war once again, in what was known as the War of the Coalition. Despite fighting an unprecedented four-front war, J Andres was triumphant on all fronts and soon the four nations surrendered. J Andres would’ve savored the sweet taste of victory, if it were not for a nuclear strike on , (a part of J Andres at the time) by a rogue nation. Despite incurring heavy casualties against the stronger TooBadd Nation (indeed, J Andres’s navy was virtually obliterated by the nuclear attack, and the city of Boston was heavily damaged from the battle between the two sides), J Andres managed to hold out. It rebuilt itself after the war. In the years following the War of the Coalition, it seemed that the constant wars and crises throughout the 1980s to the early 2000s was beginning to take its toll on J Andres. Weakened by the war, J Andres had to cede its sprawling empire (it covered a huge part of North America during the 1990s and the early 2000s) due to foreign pressure and international tensions. In 2007, J Andres had to cede its strategic port of Porto Pacis (the colony in that it had so coveted, and fought the Macacan Republic for it, in the 1990s); the huge Mond District in was next to go. Compounding J Andres’s weakness was the decision of Adrik Annan (which had become President in 2003) to shrink the size of the country to the same as that of Rhode Island in March 2010. Shortly after that, J Andres devolved into inactivity and then anarchy. Formation of New England In April 2011, midst the anarchy and lawlessness, a handsome man stepped up to the job of restoring law and order. , who looked identical to the United States president of the same name—and even the Tahoan president—in the 1960s, officially established the on the ruins of J Andres. Donald Carcieri, the governor who was responsible for the formation of J Andres back in 1981, was appointed governor of Rhode Island once again. He would serve dutifully in his new position until he would withdraw Rhode Island from the Union later in the 2020s. In the course of the 2010s and early 2020s, New England grew to its greatest extent, both in power and land, under Kennedy’s leadership and after his assassination in 2017, . Formation and Dissolution of the Second Republic In 2016, in an extraordinary act of kindness and humility, Kennedy granted J Andres independence once again. The J Andres government under Annan, until then a shadow government, now ruled over the second Maritime Republic of J Andres in the lands of Rhode Island. After Annan’s death in that year, Richard Mercton, the son of Josef Mercton and the Prince of Endor Cuidad, became President. Under his leadership, J Andres embarked upon a program of rebuilding itself and its military power. However, in 2020, it devolved into anarchy once again and was reincorporated into New England. The Federated States and the Reign of Terror Shortly after, New England merged with the Federal Republic of America to form the . And with the formation of that nation came the establishment of an institution that would become terrifying and infamous over time. It began life as the innocuously-sounding (FBI), the same institution that had served the first United States of America. And then it was transformed into the Federal Bureau of Internal Security (FBIS), which would launch a terror to such an extent that it made the terror in the of the 1930s look "gentle" and the terror of the look "tame." In the name of national security, the FBIS arrested - and tortured and executed - thousands of citizens, the vast majority of them from the Northern Republic, , and the . Formation of the Third Republic This terror, coupled with the horrors of the War of the Coalition (war against Tahoe) at the time, unleashed a revolution, one led by Richard Mercton. With careful planning, discretion, and support, Mercton—who was once arrested and imprisoned by the FBIS in 2023—launched a military coup in May 2025 in what was called the War of National Liberation that toppled the Federated States and New England. Setting up office in Endor Cuidad (which had been known as until then), Mercton established the third and current Maritime Republic of J Andres and proceeded to establish diplomatic relations with much of the world (this includes but is not limited to maintaining the Good Neighbor Treaty with the Federation of Disparu). Government, politics, and elections J Andres is a and a , in which "majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law." In the federal system of J Andres, citizens are subject to three levels of government: , provincial, and local; the last being subdivided into country and municipal governments. The Government of the Maritime Republic consists of three branches (some would say there are actually four): legislative, executive, judicial, and monarchy. Legislative branch .]] Firstly, the J Andres Commune is to be the legislative body of J Andres. First established back in 1982, and recently in 2016, the Commune has full legislative powers, including but not limited to drafting and passing laws, overturning them, ratifying treaties, declaring wars, and appointing and removing any government officials (including the President) from office. It consists of about 180 Senators, each representing about 100,000 citizens. Each Senator serves two-year terms and can be reelected as many as possible; each Senator receives one vote. The Commune’s nature had excluded the necessity of a , which under the old system of New England utilized proportional representation—which to Mercton gave too much power to a particular state/province. Not only Commune senators receive votes, but also the President and Monarch (to be explained shortly) receive a number of votes equaling to about one-fifths of the total number of Senators. In this instance, the President and Monarch receive 36 votes each. This is generally to give the President and Monarch increased power and leverage over the Commune—though only the Monarch has the power of . In addition, the Commune also has a Constituent Panel, where J Andres citizens have the power to participate in government more directly; they can cast votes in proceedings. Like the President and Monarch, the Panel receives one-fifths of the number of senators—amounting to 36 votes total. In additional to appointing or removing the President from office, the Commune has the power to unilaterally infer the President supreme powers. In that case, the President has broad executive and legislative power, effectively making him the only source of power in the government. The President, once bestowed this degree of power, also has the power to return power back to the Commune. Only once had this happened; Josef Mercton, the first president of J Andres, received supreme power from the Commune, but quickly returned it because it was "unbalanced." However, a supermajority vote of 4/5+1 is required for the Commune to pass such a measure. Executive branch The President of J Andres is the executive power of the government. In additional to having the power to execute the laws passed by the Commune, the President has the power of veto—inherited from New England—which can be overturned by the Commune with a two-thirds vote. The President is typically elected directly by the people, either by elections or through the Constituent Panel (only in special circumstances)—though when the President is bestowed supreme powers by the Commune, his position becomes a non-electable, non-hereditary position with life tenure. The President can serve for as many terms (four years each) as possible, until he is elected out of office, resigns, dies, or is removed from office. Next, the President has the power to create new government departments to assist him in his executive duties. Richard Mercton is currently the President of J Andres, having been elected by the people with over seventy percent of the vote. The President is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Maritime Republic of J Andres and thus has ultimate command over the military. Where the Commune has the power to declare war, the President has the power to send military forces anywhere in the globe (he is not required to inform the Commune, except in special cases). When the President is bestowed supreme powers, he receives the Commune’s power to declare war. He also has the power to dissolve the Supreme Court if he so desires. Judicial branch The judiciary of J Andres consists of a Supreme Court and federal courts (such as the district courts and courts of appeals). The district courts focus on cases pertaining to civil and criminal cases. They have original jurisdiction over cases relating to civil actions under the laws and treaties of J Andres; certain civil actions between citizens of different provinces; civil actions within the marine jurisdiction of J Andres; criminal prosecutions brought forth by J Andres; civil actions in which J Andres is a party; and many types of cases and controversies not defined therefore. Most of these cases are concurrent with these of provincial courts, meaning a plaintiff can choose to bring these cases either a federal district court or a state court. Any final ruling issued by the district courts can be appealed, on certain terms, in the court of appeals. Also known as circuit courts, the courts of appeals is typically used to decide appeals on cases from (and decisions by) the district courts. There are currently two Courts of Appeals: the First Circuit and Second Circuit. The First Circuits consists of three federal judicial districts: the District of New Hampshire, the District of Vermont, and District of Maine; and has five judges (two with senior status). The Second Circuit—consisting of three federal judicial districts: the District of the Maritime Colony, the District of Massachusetts, and the District of Connecticut—has five judges (three with senior status). The Supreme Court, typically a court of last resort, is the supreme judicial body of J Andres. It decides on cases passed on from the district courts and courts of appeals, and makes the final decision. Through discretionary powers, the Supreme Court can choose which cases to review and as a result has original jurisdiction over a narrow range of cases. Its decision is final, and cannot be appealed. The Supreme Court has ultimate jurisdiction and power over the entire judicial system of J Andres (except in cases where the President is bestowed supreme powers by the Commune). Monarchy Originally created as a way to hold on power during the Communist Revolt of 1986, the Monarch (usually a King) is generally a constitutional monarch with no official power, a symbolic figurehead. However, the Monarch does have some power and involvement in the government; as stated earlier, the Monarch receives 36 votes in the Commune. In addition, the Monarch has the power to bestow "Peerage" to any individual; for instance, King Josef I made the Dukedom of Boston for Ben Richards back in the 1980s. The Order of Succession typically is bestows the crown to the eldest child (either male or female) of the reigning Monarch. Josef Mercton, former President of J Andres and current King, is currently the Monarch. Politics and elections As a part of the United States prior to 1981, J Andres maintained a two-party political system, though when it became independent, it became a multiple-party system. The Nationalist Party, Anchor Party, Communist Party, Social Traditionalist Party, and the Union Party all played varying roles in J Andres’s political sphere over the course of its history, and all parties are beginning to emerge once again. The National Liberation Army, less a political party than it was a terrorist group, was allowed to participate in J Andres’s politics until it was destroyed by the New Englander Stasi followed a failed uprising in 2021. Elections at the federal, provincial, and local level are held every two years (presidential elections are held every four years). This is applicable in situations where the Commune votes to remove the President from office and but no suitable replacement is found; a general election is then held where citizens, through the Commune Constitutional Panel, can elect a new President. Federal, provincial, and local elections are held separately, as per the norm. By-elections are held when a seat in the Commune becomes vacant. The President has the power to delay or suspend elections in times of war or rebellion, though any further extensions of the delay or suspension has to be approved by the Commune by a four-fifths+1 vote. Eligibility In order to run for office, a prospective candidate must be: * A citizen and resident of J Andres for at least five years (this will be reduced to two years within the first five years of J Andres’s establishment, of which standard procedures will then apply therefore). * A legal resident in the province where they reside. * Twenty-one years or older (thirty years or older when running for President) * Have no criminal record Process Campaign and Debate All candidates and political parties must be approved by the J Andres Election Commission, an independent, nonpartisan government organization, and abide by all its rules and stipulations. Each candidate have two options of raising funds for their campaigns: receive government funding of $100 million and nothing else, or forgo that and raise any amount (up to $1 billion) through public and private contributions (this must be approved by the Election Commission first). After approval, all candidates shall be given one to five months for campaigns and advertisements. After the campaign, each candidate of all parties are allowed to have a two-hour public debate, which will be conducted in English and translated into Dutch and other minority languages. General Voting Voting will begin one month before Election Day, and will be conducted all month. In order to vote, a person must be: * A citizen and legal resident of J Andres * Eighteen years or older * Must not be a current member of the judicial branch * Must not be a current member of the executive branch * Must not be a current member of the legislative branch * Must not be an official of the Election Commission * Have no criminal record Election Day Election Day will be held on the first Tuesday of November for Presidential and Commune elections. Election Day for by-elections will be held on the first Monday after the week the Commune seat became vacant (for instance, if a seat became vacant on Thursday, then the by-election will be held the next Monday). Inauguration Day Inauguration Day will be held on the third of January for Commune senators and all other federal officials (except these appointed), and on the twenty of January for the President and his cabinet. Appointment The Commune elects its own speaker. Similarly, the President has the power to appoint his cabinet, the heads (Ministers) of his government ministries that are formed to help him run the nation and government. In conjunction, however, the Ministerial seats must be in proportion to the seat distribution in the Commune. For example, if 50% of the Commune is made up of Party A, 30% is made up of Party B, and 20% made up of Party C, 50% of the ministerial seats in the Commune must also be made up of Party A, 30% of the ministerial seats must also be made up of Party B, and 20% of the ministerial seats must be made up of Party C. The ministerial seats' allocation does not have to be exactly the same as the Commune's seat allocation, however; it has to be as close as possible. Political Divisions J Andres is a federal republic consisting of six provinces, formerly states of the first United States, New England, and the Federated States. The provinces were established upon the existing boundaries of the former states after the War of National Liberation—even though different provinces were established with different boundaries after the formation of the first J Andres in 1981. As in previous entities, the states do not have the right to secede from the Union, a case partially upheld after the American Civil War but made moot with the secession of Rhode Island from the first United States in 1981 and again in 2025. The six provinces are: the Maritime Colony (formerly Rhode Island), Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. The provinces are administrative units utilized by the J Andres government for administrative purposes, though like the states of the former United States and New England, they retain a degree of sovereignty—though to a lesser extent. For instance, the provinces are allowed to have their own governments (provincial governments) and share the same powers with the federal government (concurrent powers, such as the power to raise money). In addition, J Andres currently maintains a protectorate over the lands that used to be the former New England. The Commune National Protectorate, as it is called, is administered by the High Protector who is responsible for maintaining law and order, and preparing the regions for independence; it has no political divisions. On a similar note, J Andres maintains a overseas base in Bermuda. These born in J Andres and its associated territories (including its protectorates) acquire J Andres citizenship, have (many of) the same responsibilities and duties as citizens residing in the provinces, are exempt from federal taxes, cannot vote for President or the Commune, and only have nonvoting representation in the Commune (regarding the last note, inhabitants living in the Commune Protectorate do not have representation). So far, J Andres had ceded a portion of its protectorate to neighboring nations (with the understanding that these lands would revert back to a J Andres protectorate if they fall into anarchy). These include but is not limited to: the Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine (with the exception of the Magdalen Islands) regions to Disparu following a referendum; the Maritime regions of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland to the Northern Republic; the Tennessee region to the Federal Republic of America. It had also granted independence to new nations, such as the Theocratic Republic of Kentucky, in the region of the same name. The requisite for independence or cession are as follows: a referendum will be held in the area in question, to be monitored, assessed, and validated by election officials of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs. If 2/3 of the population in these regions supports independence/cession, then the lands will be granted independence or given to other nations. Population The population of J Andres is estimated to be around 19,118,540, a slight increase from 18,864,900 in 2020 but a huge increase from 9,813,000 in 1929. Its average population density is approximately 265.57 inhabitants per sq mi (102.53/km²), making J Andres a fairly densely populated nation. (Indeed, the Maritime Colony, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are among the most densely populated provinces in J Andres.) Three-fourths of the population of J Andres lives along the eastern coast of the country, concentrated in many major cities throughout Maritime Colony, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Indeed, many of J Andres’s largest cities are located alongside the coast, save for a few, such as Mercton, Providence, Rossingol, Rellim, Porto Pacis, and Fitzgerald, so to name a few. Several major cities are also located in the hinterlands of J Andres, such as Richards, Ahmadinejad, and Bethesda. Due to the urban concentration alongside the coast, southern J Andres has been described as forming a part of what had been historically named the BosWash megalopolis, an aggregation of urban centers that stretches from Mercton in J Andres to Washington, F.D. in the Commune Protectorate. The most populous cities of J Andres are as below, in descending order in terms of population: * Mercton (Boston), Massachusetts - 620,535 * Providence, Maritime Colony - 182,557 * Annan (Worcester), Massachusetts - 171,596 * Richards (Springfield), Massachusetts - 150,640 * Bethesda (Hartford), Connecticut - 142,062 * Regnissi (Bridgeport), Connecticut - 136,405 * Lanier (New Haven), Connecticut - 123,669 * Brunel (Stamford), Connecticut - 119,303 * Rellim (Waterbury), Connecticut - 108,586 * Admadinejad (Manchester), New Hampshire - 107,037 * Solanger (Cambridge), Massachusetts - 105,596 * Bauer (Lowell), Massachusetts - 103,615 * Fitzgerald (Portland), Maine - 62,875 * Madeleine (Bangor), Maine - 35,475 * Endor Cuidad (Smithfield), Maritime Colony - 30,237 * Karr (Augusta), Maine - 28,506 * Rossingol (Warwick), Maritime Colony - 25,434 * Porto Pacis (Portsmouth), New Hampshire - 20,784 Economy J Andres’s economy is one of the most unique in the world. Geographically isolated from the rest of the North American continent (especially one encompassing these of the former United States), J Andres produces and exports technology and industrial products, which include specialized machines and weaponry; it also specializes in industrial and commercial industries, which are computers, electronics products, chemicals, and transportation equipment. This is mainly because J Andres’s industries are mostly located along the Atlantic coast, among major cities and towns, as well as some productive areas throughout the country. For instance, weapons are made at Richards, Massachusetts, while vessels are produced in Groton, Connecticut; Bethesda, Connecticut, specializes in insurance (which is the main reason Bethesda is known as the "insurance capital of the world"). J Andres is mostly self-sufficient in energy, largely thanks to a large wind-production sector in Maine. The Maritime Colony has the lowest per capita energy consumption in the nation; Maine, by contrast, has the highest energy consumption (this is due to its wind-production sector). However, despite this, J Andres has among the highest electricity costs and is a high consumer of nuclear power, especially in three states: Vermont, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. In regards to energy, the Maritime Colony is a top producer of coal, which is a major resource in the territory. J Andres is also a large producer and consumer of petroleum. In addition to this, J Andres specializes in food production, which despite its weak agricultural parity (because of weather, climate, and geography), allows it to produce ample food and food resources for both domestic consumption and export. These include, but are not limited to: fish, lobster, cranberries, potatoes, maple syrup, and dairy products, along with many others. Maine is New England’s chief producer of wind energy and aquaculture as well as potatoes; Vermont is the nation’s leading producer of dairy products, and the same goes for Connecticut and Massachusetts for tobacco. Cranberries are grown in Massachusetts, particularly in the Cape Cod area; blueberries are produced in Maine. However, over the course of its early history, J Andres’s economy was dominated by several major companies and corporations, namely the Ocean Side Aluminum and Woonsocket Wheat, which controlled most of J Andres’s then-prevailing resources, aluminum and wheat. The successes of Ocean Side Aluminum and Woonsocket Wheat, along with several others (such as the Federation of Industry), contributed to J Andres’s economic boom, which led to an increase in public works projects and citizens’ incomes. Unfortunately, the excesses as well as abuses of such corporations and their practices led to the decline of aluminum and wheat. Interestingly, iron and cattle has become J Andres’s most prominent resources, along with many others, and there is a possibility that new corporations may be formed to harness the power of such resources. A powerful cattle industry have formed, mainly in the Maritime Colony and parts of Connecticut and Massachusetts; regarding iron, new industries have taken root in many coastal cities, namely Mercton and Providence, where they specialize in iron production for both civilian and military enterprises. As New England (and in turn the Federated States of America), J Andres used to have a powerful tourist industry; Guantanamo Bay, the largest military base located outside New England at the time, attracted millions of visitors a year and generated vast revenues for the country. As a part of New England, tourism played a large and important part in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, New York, and Newfoundland. Now that Guantanamo Bay had been ceded to Louisiana and the Maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland) ceded to the Northern Republic, tourism is no longer as powerful and large an industry as it used to be, though it is making a slow comeback in the island of Bermuda, which has remained under J Andres control. Under New England, the government owned and/or controlled a large part of the economy, especially the industrial complex, and J Andres continues that to a large extent. Many industries, such as, such as electricity, steel, coal, etc, continues to be owned by the government. The exception, however, is that the government holds a 51% share in stock in every company hiring more than 3,000 workers and 30% share in stock in every company employing more than 700 workers. As under New England, citizens are guaranteed a job and housing by the government, though they have responsibility to find work and housing on their own, with or without government support. Workers have the right to vie for better working conditions and wages through government-sponsored trade unions (others are outlawed). Private ownership in small business and property are universally allowed and guaranteed in J Andres; vital property, such as military bases and the like, are owned by the government. The government will also maintain a welfare system, of which workers pay a compulsory share of their wages (about 30%) to the government (failure to do so will entail the same consequences as tax evasion). These wages are then redistributed to the less fortunate (such as the unemployed, elderly, etc) through a social welfare system operated by the Ministry of Domestic Affairs. However, the national government no longer operates training schools to bring the lazy and work-shy to working standards, even though provinces can continue to operate such institutions; it is the individual’s responsibility to find work. Despite recovering from the recent War of National Liberation, J Andres is quickly becoming one of the most prosperous economies in North America, if not the world. With decisive government participation, mixed capitalist/socialist economic policies, high GDP per capita, a relatively low poverty rate (about 5%), productive taxes (the FairTax, for one instance), and individual prosperity, J Andres is expected to become one of the world’s most powerful economies. J Andres uses the Anchor (Å or JAA) as its official currency. The defunct New Englander Dollar (NED) is not accepted as a medium of exchange, though the Disparuean dollar is allowed to be used as an unofficial currency in J Andres. The Anchor is issued and regulated by the government through the J Andres Federal Reserve, is convertible, and is divided into denominations of $0.01, $0.05, $0.10, $0.25, $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, and $1,000. Its official exchange rate is 1:1.